Change
by Halle Alexis
Summary: Sometimes things don't work out the way you expect. This is something Vic Moretti has learned very well, but maybe this time she'll also learn that change can be both hurt and hope. Sometimes change is the best thing that could happen and it might lead to something even better.
1. Chapter 1

**This is set sometime after season 1 and I have used or changed certain things that we learn later on depending on how it works with this story. This is something that has been on my mind for a while and I really hope you guys like it. I would love to hear what you think. Please review! **

**Disclaimer: You probably already know this, but I don't own anything. **

Change

When Vic Moretti was five years old, she played mother to her dolls like most other little girls her age, though she was much more tomboy than princess. As a teenager, babies were cute little things that belonged to other people and you handed them back to their parents at the first sign of distress; other than this they were only considered in a very vague, distant future sort of way. As she aged, however, children seemed to move further from Vic's radar rather than closer to actuality.

It wasn't that she didn't want children exactly, so much as that while some women dreamed of and longed for children, Vic had other priorities. For a long time she was focused on her education and career and it simply wasn't the right time. This is not to mention the fact that it would likely be difficult to conceive a baby without a man in her life to father it. And then she met Sean and there was. By the time they were married however, Vic was working her way through the Philadelphia Police Department and Sean's own work had picked up steadily; a baby was not on either of their minds. Truth be told, they hadn't even really talked about children other than a brief conversation when they were dating in which they agreed that it was a thought for the future and a baby wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Someday.

Considering these things, Vic should have felt quite different sitting across from the doctor receiving possibly the most shocking news of her life. Maybe not great, admittedly, but not this increasing numbness either. This was not the "someday" they had discussed. This was not how she had ever imagined feeling upon the discovery of her pregnancy. It was not the life she had believed she would be leading at this point. It wasn't even close.

What the hell was she supposed to do now?

"I don't understand?" Vic feels a little like she might be sick. Ironic, since she hadn't had any signs of a pregnancy before this. "I just came in for a regular check-up. I haven't even had any symptoms." Her voice is incredulous and she shakes her head as if to bring clarity to the situation. This couldn't be happening; she wasn't ready.

"I understand this must be a shock, Vic, and given the nature of your job I ran the test twice to be sure, for the sake of safety, but the results are clear. You are pregnant." Dr. Wilson says with a smile. She had been practicing medicine for close to thirty years and recognizes the look of surprise and apprehension on her patient's face. After all, she had worn it herself once.

"Now, you indicated that you had missed your last period, right?" She asks while scanning the papers in front of her.

"Yeah," Vic nods her head. "I, I thought it was stress."

"No other symptoms, though? Fatigue, nausea, sensitivities, anything out of the ordinary?" Dr. Wilson continues.

Vic shakes her head, "No."

"Alright, well, that's still perfectly normal and some women just get lucky in the nausea department. Based on the information you gave me I would estimate you to be about seven or eight weeks along and that would put you due around November 30, but you'll need an OB to confirm. For now, I'm going to set you up with a referral to an OBGYN in the area," she pauses, "that is, assuming you plan to continue with the pregnancy?" She asks.

The question catches Vic off guard. Even in her shock she hadn't considered any option except having the baby and she quickly nods, "Yes, I'm keeping it."

The doctor nods in acceptance and continues, "Okay, we'll get you an appointment with Dr. Smith; she's very nice and you'll be in good hands."

She's trying to be reassuring, Vic thinks, because she can tell I'm freaked out about this. The truth is, shock doesn't even begin to cover how she's feeling. She and Sean had been drifting away from each other for months, since before they ever moved to Wyoming. The move was supposed to not only solve the departmental issues she was having, but also cut down on some of Sean's work and Vic had thought the change would bring them closer together, but it hadn't. Things hadn't worked out the way she'd expected at all; her marriage was barely hanging on and while she had grown to like her life in Absaroka, Sean was travelling now more than ever. And now there was a baby to think about.

A baby. Her hand unconsciously makes it way to cover her stomach and hovers briefly above it before resting over the still flat surface. For just a second Vic allows herself to imagine what is already growing inside of her. She was going to have a baby.

Vic finds herself nodding to the doctor, though she's consumed in her own head and takes the information from her quietly before saying her goodbyes. The drive home is a blur of mixed emotions and scattered thoughts and Vic is grateful Ruby had insisted they would make do without her for the rest of the afternoon even though she'd planned to return after her appointment, despite the woman's protests.

The house is empty as she's become accustomed to it being, but today Vic is glad to have the quiet as a balm to her chaotic mind. The next few months will likely be the last quiet she has for a while after all. A smile slowly spreads across Vic's face as she ponders the idea. Maybe a baby will strengthen her relationship with Sean. Maybe it won't. Regardless though, Vic promises herself in that moment that the baby she's carrying will be loved and wanted and that will be the most important thing.

And the rest of it she'll just have to figure out as she goes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything :( **

**I'm excited for the response to this story so far and I hope you're liking it. Please review!**

Change

Chapter 2

Vic wakes the next morning to cautious optimism in her heart for the coming months and a new voicemail from Sean on her cell phone. Listening to the message makes her realize why he had opted to call her cell phone so early in the morning rather than the landline, knowing it would be less likely to wake her than the latter.

"Hey, it's me. I just thought I'd let you know I'm coming in this weekend. I was actually hoping you could take a day off work or something; we really need to talk. So, um, see you soon, bye."

"Must be some talk…" Vic mutters while shaking her head slightly. He wasn't supposed to be home again until the end of the month.

Regardless, she's grateful, considering she was already wondering how she was going to avoid telling him about the baby over the phone when she wanted him to know sooner rather than later. Debating briefly over trying to call him back or not, Vic quickly decides to try and catch him before work anyway. The phone rings three times before going to the machine.

"Hey, so, I guess we're playing phone tag. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're coming home early. I don't know if I can take any time off work, but there's something I wanted to talk to you about, too. So, I guess if I don't talk to you before, I'll just see you in a few days. Bye." She's biting her lip by the time she finishes, but thinks, _there_. She's at least made the first step in approaching the topic of the baby.

She goes through her morning routine fairly quickly, swearing softly when she realizes she probably shouldn't drink the coffee she's already begun brewing. It's a habit she never thought she would need to alter and she promises herself she'll start researching pregnancy and appropriate eating habits today. Maybe she'll even buy some pregnancy books when she picks up the prenatal vitamins her doctor told her to get.

The drive to work is short, but it becomes an exercise in debate as Vic considers that she'll need to notify Walt of her pregnancy soon as well; Absaroka might be relatively quiet, but being a cop is still being a cop and she doesn't want to take any chances. Probably she'll end up behind a desk pushing papers for the duration of her pregnancy, Vic thinks, and just the thought of it makes her grit her teeth. With a sigh, she compromises with herself; she'll tell him as soon as she's had the chance to tell Sean. She can likely maneuver herself out of serious fieldwork for the rest of the week and it seems only right that her child's father be the first to know. If there was a way to avoid it, there was no need to upset Sean or feed his paranoia about some more-than-platonic relationship between her and Walt.

As she enters the Sheriff's office, Vic is passed by the Ferg with a cheery "Morning, Vic," but little more and is a bit surprised to find Walt sitting on the edge of Ruby's desk looking over paperwork.

"Morning." Vic greets as she moves toward her own shared desk with Branch, who appears to be tuned into whatever conversation Walt and Ruby are having. She hasn't even settled into her chair before Walt is speaking to her.

"Hey Vic," He responds, barely glancing up. "I need you to go with Branch to serve this summons to Barry Thomas out on Pine."

Branch waves a picture towards her and offers her the folder in his hand. Vic takes it reluctantly, her forehead scrunching up slightly in confusion, before scanning the contents on the first page.

"What? This is just for failure to pay child support… why do I need to go with Branch?" Vic questions.

"Because the last time I served someone a summons, they pulled a gun on me." Branch speaks up, raising an eyebrow at her. "Remember? We're trying to be more careful when we can be."

"Yeah, but this is no big deal, I mean surely you can handle it…" She argues incredulously, the pitch of her voice increasing just a bit. Branch cocks his head at her and she's pretty sure his eyebrow ekes up just a fraction higher.

"If it's no big deal, then why are you complaining? We'll be gone less than an hour." Branch asks curiously.

"I just think I could be more useful doing something here instead. Can't Ferg go with you?" She shrugs her shoulders in a way Branch finds very unsubtle and very un-Vic like.

"Is there a problem with you working with Branch, Vic?" Walt finally cuts in, turning to look at her.

Vic sighs. This is just what she needs, today of all the days. "No." She replies solemnly and wonders how she's supposed to navigate this little dilemma without revealing all. After all, there really is no problem working with Branch, at least not lately, so much as working in the field period at the moment.

Walt nods resolutely, "Good."

"Right." Vic nods to herself and thinks colorful words that she's already been thinking she'll have to stop using soon.

"I've got some calls to make." Walt says as he stands. "You two go ahead and take care of that in case something else comes in later." He continues, before heading into his office.

"So, you ready to get this over with?" Branch asks as he reaches for his hat.

Vic doesn't see much other choice, but she does want to get it over with as soon as possible so she takes a deep breath before agreeing, "Yeah, let's go."

The drive is mostly quiet except for the quick, standard argument before they leave about who is going to drive. It seems almost habitual by now, the quick banter and some perfunctory comment about the other's driving before one of them caves. This time it's Vic who ends up in the passenger seat, which makes her just that little bit more edgy. Maybe it's hormones, she thinks, or maybe it's caffeine depravation… Either way, when Branch asks what's wrong with her this morning she responds automatically in the negative.

"Nothing." She says.

"Are you sure? Cause Walt's gonna think I'm harassing you or something if you try to avoid working with me very much." He says and she catches the quick grin he flashes when he looks at her, before returning his attention to the road. Some of her tension drains at the thought of _that_ conversation and Vic rolls her eyes.

"I'm fine. I'm just a little high strung this morning." She explains.

"Alright." Branch accepts her explanation. Vic thinks the matter is settled, but her nerves seem to flair again as he turns up Thomas' drive.

He's opening his door, one foot nearly on the ground when she stops him, "Wait, Branch?"

"Yeah?" He turns to look at her again and she's biting her lip hesitantly. "What?"

"I can't go in there." She says it before she's really thought it through, but for some reason she just can't seem to convince herself this call is perfectly routine. Not when the last one ended with a gun in Branch's face, despite the safe resolution.

"Okay, seriously, what's going on with you today?" Branch is confused by her uncharacteristic behavior and his patience is starting to thin. Vic knows she sounds ridiculous and probably she's being ridiculous, too. She hates feeling this way, but still doesn't think she can stop it.

"Look, Branch, I can't, okay? I… I'm pregnant." She blurts it out and Branch appears frozen for a split second before the words really sink in and register in his brain.

"Oh. I guess Walt didn't know about this then, huh?" Branch thinks in light of this new information, she probably wouldn't be out here right now if Walt knew, too.

"No," Vic shakes her head. "I just found out myself and I wanted to wait to tell Sean this weekend before I told anyone else. I thought I could wait until then to tell Walt and figure out how to arrange work, but I guess that's shot to hell now." She continues, a bit annoyed.

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order then." He tries to smile because he doesn't really know what else to say in this type of situation and the awkwardness in his voice makes her smile a little, too.

"Thanks. So, um, I know we're not best friends or anything, but can you just not say anything about this to anyone?" Vic asks.

"Sure, I won't say anything, but you need to tell Walt so he's not sending you on cases where you might be in danger." Branch reminds her.

"I know, and I will just as soon as I tell Sean; he'll be here Friday and I'm going to tell him then and I'll tell Walt first thing Monday." She confirms quickly.

"Fine. Stay here and I'll go take care of this, alright?" He jerks his head toward the house in front of them and grabs the papers from the console.

"Okay." Vic nods, though she loathes how relieved she is that he's not asking her to go with him. It's just a little bit of panic at the thought of being responsible for someone else, she thinks. It'll pass soon and you'll get back to feeling normal. "Branch," she calls out again before he closes the truck door. "Thanks." She says when he pauses.

"You're pregnant. I figure you get one free favor." The laugh that accompanies the statement is drowned out by the slamming of the door and Vic's lip twitches up in spite of herself.

**Please let me know what you think! I understand that the characters may be a little out of character, but I'm taking some liberties here with what we've seen on the show and how I think a friendship could develop between Vic and Branch over a bit of time. **


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so excited for the response to this story and I hope you guys will continue to tell me what you think. Thanks for reading and reviewing! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

Change

Chapter 3 

Vic found some amount of relief in knowing that at least one other person she worked with was aware of her pregnancy. Although Branch probably wouldn't have been her first choice, she had to admit that, thankfully, he did keep his word to her and keep his mouth shut about the baby. More than that though, she felt indebted to him for actively helping her keep her secret throughout the week when a situation arose that she couldn't seem to talk her way out of.

Okay, two situations; once, when he'd volunteered to take her place covering a car accident, citing that he was going crazy cooped up in the office and again when he'd asked for Ferg's assistance gathering evidence on a case that they would have normally partnered up for. Damn. Did that mean she owed him twice? Vic was certain Branch would let her know when he wanted payment.

Thanks to his help, Vic managed to avoid work outside the office except for a quick run to the hospital and another to the diner for test results and food for someone utilizing a jail cell, respectively of course. She was utterly relieved when Friday came around; unfortunately, she wouldn't get through the week free of all suspicious behavior.

It shouldn't have been a big deal. She was around eight weeks pregnant and had survived without any of the awful symptoms you hear about coming along with it. It appeared her luck was running out.

Vic loved coffee. She loved it to the point that she almost couldn't function without it and became irritating even to herself when deprived. Surprising then, isn't it, that a whiff of the strong, heady scent from the pot Ruby was brewing made Vic's stomach roil in complaint. The upset was so sudden that Vic barely understood what was happening before feeling the nausea rise in her throat.

The panicked "Oh no." that slips past her lips reflexively is what draws Branch's attention. She's pale as a sheet and it becomes very clear very quickly what's wrong as she reaches for the trash can beside her desk.

"Vic?" He says, though he doesn't expect her to answer, and moves instinctively closer, hand falling to her back. "Ruby? Can you grab some water or something?" He calls out to Ruby, who has already begun moving toward them.

"Right here." She responds, detouring to the little mini-fridge they keep in the office. "Why don't you get her cool cloth, Branch?" She continues, her maternal nature taking over as she takes his place next to Vic.

"Here, honey." Ruby soothes as Vic stops vomiting. "Try to sip this, now." She says when the younger woman turns away from the can, offering her the water bottle.

"You alright, Vic?" Walt questions from the edge of the room, having emerged from his office at the noise.

"Fine." Vic answers cautiously, the nausea still swirling and the shaky feeling you only get from being suddenly, horribly ill making her body feel unsteady.

"Here." Branch states, holding up a damp wash cloth in offering as he returns to the room. He moves closer than any of them would expect, squatting in front of Vic as he hands over the compress, and staying there when she applies it to her face.

Ruby is the first to ask Vic why she didn't tell someone that she wasn't feeling well and for a brief moment the expectant mother forgets to breathe. The look Branch shoots her says she needs to respond.

"I wasn't, I mean I'm not," Vic mutters quickly. "I didn't think I'd be sick." She explains.

"Maybe you should take the rest of the day off." Walt's nodding his head as he suggests it, but is quite certain she won't be going anywhere.

"No, really, I feel better now." Vic assures them, not knowing what else to say since what seems to be her first bout with morning sickness appears to have passed.

"Okay, but if you feel worse, you can go home." He says, but doesn't move to leave the room even when she agrees. Instead, he takes in the way Branch and Ruby hover for another few minutes and how his blonde deputy reassures their concerns. The latter is not a surprise to Walt, because Ruby is a surrogate mother to all of them and fusses accordingly at every opportunity. The former, however, very much is. Perhaps he hadn't been paying enough attention, God knows he's been preoccupied lately with his own problems, but he doesn't know when Vic and Branch became friends.

At least Walt assumes they're friends, as the two deputies' interactions normally consist of bickering rather than conversations about each other's wellbeing. He certainly wouldn't have thought Branch would be volunteering to remove the soiled garbage after retrieving a cool compress for the sick woman. He wonders when this change occurred and the reasons for it briefly, before deciding to follow Branch from the room.

He catches up with the younger man outside and lifts the lid to the outside garbage can when Branch moves to place the bag in it.

"Thanks, but you didn't have to help me take out the trash." Branch states and waits for Walt to say something in explanation.

"Yeah," Walt nods and pauses briefly. "You seem awfully concerned about Vic." He states, but doesn't know how to approach what he's really thinking about.

"I didn't know that was a problem, being that we work together and we're friends." Branch responds with a cock of his head. He has a feeling he knows where this conversation is headed and doesn't know quite how he feels about it.

"Look, Branch, Vic's a married woman, and you might want to remember that if you're thinking of looking in that direction." He finally says, thinking of how they've seemed to be more in tune with each other lately. Though flirty seems to be one of Branch's primary personality traits, the behavior can become problematic with an unavailable woman.

Branch can't stop the sudden laugh or the quick crooked grin that comes forth unbidden. He decides he's amused at the thought of Walt worrying over his relationship with Vic.

"Well, it really wouldn't be anyone else's business if that's what I was doing, but don't worry, Vic and I are just friends." Branch tells him and stops even as he's turned to walk away.

"And no matter what you might think of me, Walt, I don't mess around with married women." He continues resolutely, before moving around his boss and reentering the building.

Branch pays no attention as Walt falls into step behind him and instead focuses on Vic's appearance as he returns to the office and sits at his desk. She's not so pale now, but she's chewing on the end of her pencil and glances up at them in curiosity.

"Feel any better?" Branch asks before she can question him about reappearing at the same time as their boss.

"Uh, yeah, okay." Vic nods, still not completely sure of it herself.

"Sean's coming home today, right?" His voice is quieter now and she wonders if Ruby can hear and what she thinks about him asking if she can. Regardless, the question is innocent enough and Ruby can't see what he's really asking, though it's plain on his face.

"Yeah, he should be home anytime now, actually." She nods in assurance, but her stomach jumps for a completely different reason than morning sickness at the thought.

She has no idea how Sean is going to react to her news, especially since things have been so rocky between them lately. She only hopes Sean can see the happiness through the surprise as she's come to over the past week.

**So, I know it's a bit early, but I've been thinking about if the baby is going to be a boy or a girl… I'd love to know what you guys think as I try to decide. Suggestions? Thanks! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you guys so much for the reviews! I can't tell you how much I appreciate them and like hearing what you're thinking about the story so far. I also know many of you are die-hard Vic/Walt shippers and it means a lot to me that you're reading anyway. I understand where you're coming from because I also enjoy Vic/Walt and Branch/Cady as well, but I don't think that's where this story is going to go. I hope you'll enjoy the story anyway. I'd also like to apologize for the wait between chapters, but unfortunately that's the way life goes sometimes and I can't always write when I want to for one reason or another. **

**I love all the thoughts on baby boy or baby girl Moretti, so I guess we'll have to wait and see :) Please continue to read and review! Thanks! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

Change

Chapter 4

The sight of Sean's car in the driveway doesn't bring any sense of affection or comfort as Vic had once thought the arrival of her husband would. Instead, Vic finds herself anxious as she exits her truck and the feeling only increases as she reaches the house. She's surprised however, when she opens the door and discovers Sean's suitcases at the base of the stairs; the surprise is not at all what she expected to feel though, because really, Vic thinks, she should've seen this coming.

"I thought you were going to try to get off work early?" Sean is waiting for her on the couch and wastes no time with pleasantries.

"No, I didn't." She pauses at the entryway and realizes when she looks at him just how tired she is of fighting with him over work. Over everything.

"So, what's with all the bags?" She continues, but figures she already knows the answer.

"Look, Vic, maybe you should sit down so we can talk…" He begins, motioning to the seat next to him. She'd rather break something and finds it insulting that he's trying to coddle her now, of all the times. She plants her feet and leans against the wall at her back.

"I'm not a child, Sean; say what you need to say." Her tone is emptier than she imagined it would be. What does it say about her, about the state of her marriage, Vic wonders absently, that she's more concerned about _not_ feeling surprised or upset about this conversation than about the topic itself?

He nods and looks away as he stands, before taking an envelope Vic hadn't yet noticed from the coffee table and bringing it to her.

"I think we both know things haven't been working for a long time, Vic. I've spoken to a lawyer and I think it's time we make things official." Sean tells her. He offers the envelope to her and she takes it, but doesn't look inside.

"You've already had papers drawn up?" She asks. This she hadn't been expecting.

"I thought it would be best if we went ahead and signed them, so that we can file them before I head back out next week. You can look them over, but it's a pretty fair division, not that we had much together to begin with." He continues, sounding just a little bitter at the thought that they'd largely kept their married lives separate.

Still, the mention of the divorce papers and the things they have together causes Vic's stomach to clench. The baby. The reason Vic had needed to talk to Sean. The small spring of hope she'd been contemplating since her visit to the doctor's office.

"I'm not signing the papers." She begins, and holds up a hand when he opens his mouth in protest. "I'm not signing them until we talk about what I wanted to talk to you about and have them redone." She continues, brushing past him to put the envelope back on the table.

"Don't be ridiculous, Vic. I just want you to sign the papers, so I can get out of here." He states agitatedly. "I don't know what you could possibly want to talk about that'll change that."

Vic purses her lips, but figures there's no turning back at that point. "I'm pregnant, Sean."

The room goes completely silent for a minute following her declaration as he looks at her blankly. When he speaks, Vic almost thinks she would rather he had kept the blank look.

"Are you messing with me?" His voice is incredulous.

"No, why would I lie about something…" She's becoming defensive, but doesn't have a chance to finish before he interrupts her.

"I'm serious Vic, if you think I'll change my mind just because you _say _you're pregnant…" He's beginning to pace the floor and shake his head. His implication is clear and Vic's temper has been stoked.

"I can't believe you just said that to me! I told you because I thought you had a right to know and I would think you'd know me better than to believe I'd lie about being pregnant just to try and what, trap you here?" Her voice rises steadily, indignant.

"Well, what am I supposed to think?! I tell you I want a divorce and suddenly you're pregnant? A little inconvenient, don't you think?" He snaps.

Vic sighs in frustration. "I don't want to keep fighting." Her voice is closer to a regular volume again and she just wants this to be over with. "You're not the only one who's been thinking about us separating, okay? But there's a baby to think about now, too, and we have to talk about that first."

"I really don't see what there is to talk about, Vic. I want a divorce; that isn't changing." Sean says.

"I wouldn't want it to. It wouldn't do anyone any good for us to stay together just because of the baby." She affirms, but isn't prepared for what comes next.

"Look, if you say you're pregnant, then fine, but it doesn't change anything regardless. I'm leaving; I'm going to take that job in Australia they offered me." He sounds calm and straight forward as he says it and Vic suddenly realizes that it isn't just her he's leaving.

"What exactly are you saying?" She asks.

"I don't want a baby, Vic." He finally says and Vic takes a step back, covering her stomach with one hand as if to protect the child she carries from words she knows it can't yet hear. "I'm going to stay at the hotel in town until I leave and I'll give you some time to think about this and look at the papers, okay? I just have to get some more of my stuff together before I go."

"Whether you want it or not, this baby isn't going away, Sean." She replies, angry that he appears to be dismissing the topic. Angry and more hurt than she wants to admit that he doesn't seem to have any interest in their baby at all.

For a moment Sean stops as if he doesn't know what to say to her, but then he shakes his head slightly, "Maybe not, but I am, just as soon as you sign the papers." He replies, before turning and going up the stairs.

Vic wants to scream. She wants to go after him and make him see things differently. She wants to hurt him the way he's hurting her. Most of all though, she wants to not feel this way anymore.

Instead of going after him, Vic takes the first step in moving forward from this cycle they've been stuck in for so long. She takes a breath, turns around, and walks back out of the house.

**Please review! Thanks! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

Change

Chapter 5

The anger that's simmering begins to come to the forefront of Vic's emotions again as she fights the hurt and disappointment that threaten to come over her. She contemplates where to go as she drives, only knowing she doesn't want to be around Sean anymore tonight. The Sherriff's office has been her safe haven since she moved to Wyoming, but she doesn't want to spend another night there and doesn't know what she would say if someone found her there. She could call someone… anyone she works with would likely be open to listening, but she just can't bring herself to imagine talking to them yet.

The lights of the Red Pony draw Vic's attention and she slows down on impulse. It's as good a place as any other, she figures, especially when she has nowhere else to go. Upon entering, her eyes dart immediately to the bar where she's most accustomed to sitting and the familiar outline of Branch's shoulders is instantly recognized even with his back to her and his head slightly bent.

Vic is definitely not in the mood for conversation, but a pang in her stomach at the sight and smell of food reminds her that though nausea and nerves has reduced her appetite most of the day, she is hungry now. Her mind made up, Vic considers that even with their evolving friendship, perhaps Branch will leave her to stew in peace. She should have known her night would not be so simple.

Branch turns slightly to look at her almost as soon as she's slid into her seat, but takes a pull of his beer and turns his gaze forward again before speaking to her.

"I didn't expect to see you out tonight." He's surprised and lazily curious in his inebriated state, though he doesn't think it's showing yet.

"Yeah, why's that?" She mutters, reaching for a napkin and beginning to shred it repeatedly.

"I guess I just figured you'd be home celebrating with Sean." He shrugs his shoulders. What does he know, though? Maybe the man who chooses his job over his wife more days out of the year than not also chooses not to be with her on the day he finds out he's going to be a father.

"Shut up, Branch." Vic snaps at him, though she isn't sure why. All she knows is that she's upset and she wants to lash out and he's a familiar, convenient target.

Branch raises an eyebrow, but before he can either prod further or think of attempting an apology, she's flagging Henry down to order her food and he doesn't think she would appreciate an audience to their conversation.

Once Henry has disappeared again, he thinks briefly about whether or not he should say something more or remain silent, but she beats him to it.

"And what do you know anyway? Maybe I'm waiting for him." She hisses defensively, going back for a second napkin to destroy.

"Right." He scoffs dubiously.

"What? I could be." She insists, but wonders why she's bothering. Maybe it's pride, or maybe she just wants to pick a fight, but she doesn't know how to tell him the truth. She doesn't know how to say out loud that her husband wants nothing to do with the child she carries and already cares for.

"Well, I don't know your husband very well, but if it was me and my woman had just told me she was carrying my baby, I'd probably want to keep her at home," he pauses, searching for something that won't earn him serious injury tonight. "…showing my _appreciation_,"

Vic nearly chokes on the water she'd been sipping.

He tips his head casually, "For lack of a better word, for as long as possible." He continues.

"Are you drunk?!" She exclaims exasperatedly, finally taking a good look at him. She takes in the slight flush and the eyes going glassy and realizes he must have been there a while.

"Little bit." He dips his head to the side and raises his hand, pushing thumb and index finger close together.

"How many of those have you had?" She questions, looking pointedly at the beer in his hand.

"Enough that Henry will take my keys if I try to drive myself home." He admits nonchalantly.

"Really?" She has to laugh, but isn't sure how amusing his state really is since he appears to have lost what little filter he normally has. Regardless, her anger and hurt are fading to the back of her mind as they speak.

"Well, please, do tell," she motions for him to continue. "I want to hear about someone else's problem tonight. What's driven you to drink?" She asks, grateful to have her mind distracted from Sean for the time being.

His blue eyes become just a little distant and he looks away, tracing the label on the bottle he holds.

"Cady's back in town." He finally says.

"Oh." She responds quietly, thinking of Walt's daughter and her recent absence from Absaroka. "I didn't know."

"Yeah, well, neither did I until this afternoon. I've been going by her place off and on, checking in, waiting for her to get back, I guess." He explains, wondering if he sounds as pathetic as he feels.

"I'm sorry. I guess it didn't go well since you're here." Vic doesn't really know what to say to him. She _had _thought his affair with Cady would end badly, but it really wasn't her business initially and Branch _has _been a friend to her lately.

He nods his head solemnly and waits for Henry to get back out of earshot after bringing Vic's order to her before finally answering.

"I must be an idiot, for not being able to just leave this be after she clearly wanted to be left alone." Branch continues, shaking his head.

It makes Vic feel bad for him, though she never would have thought it possible in the preceding months, and her voice softens a bit when she responds.

"You care about her; sometimes that isn't the easiest thing and a lot of the time it's not what's good for us, but that doesn't make you an idiot." She tells him, picking at her food and thinking sourly of her own idiotic tendencies.

"And it's not like I expected us to get back together, you know? I always knew when it came down to it she'd pick Walt over me, no questions asked; otherwise, we'd of at least talked about going public. I just thought our relationship would still mean something; we were friends before at least and now she wants us to stay away from each other, for a while anyway." He's rambling a bit, but she doesn't mind too much as it leaves little room for her to talk about herself, so she lets him continue with intermittent comments as she eats.

He talks a little more about Cady and some about how he doesn't know what to do about the race for Sherriff. He tells her that he only ran, because he didn't think Walt would and he thought he'd make a decent Sherriff. Does she? Vic tells him she's still reserving judgment.

There's talk of other things, too, but the conversation is mostly led by Branch's inebriated state, and when Vic thinks Sean has had a sufficient amount of time to get out of the house and Branch seems to be done for the night she tells him to mark off one of her debts, because she's taking him home.

Branch doesn't try to protest her offer, but Henry is quick to tell her Branch is welcome to sleep it off behind the bar after they close. When Vic refuses, however, he helps her get Branch into her truck and tells her to call if she needs any further assistance, though it isn't necessary.

The entire situation leaves Henry to wonder at the changing dynamic between the deputies and he resolves to pay close attention to them in the coming days.

**So, I thought more would fit into this chapter, but it seemed like an okay place to end it. Thanks for reading and for everyone who is reviewing; I really appreciate it. **

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you're thinking. Thanks! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. **

Change

Chapter 6

Branch is pretty sure the earth is moving. Either that or the jackhammer pounding in his head is actually causing his skull to reverberate. Whatever it is, his head feels like it might really fall off his shoulders and his stomach is vehemently protesting his drinking binge the night before.

He has to close his eyes twice before they adjust to the sunlight pouring through his bedroom window and he's able to actually look around. One plus, he's definitely in his own house. It takes a couple of minutes for the pounding to level off a bit and his memory of the night before to clear up.

He'd seen Cady and went to drown his sorrows. He'd talked to Vic and she had brought him home.

He swings his legs off the bed and sits up slowly, hoping the nausea won't actually manifest, and thankfully, it doesn't. He finds a note on his bedside table from Vic that makes him want to roll his eyes, but he doesn't for fear that any perceived movement will make his pounding head worse.

_Call me when you wake up so I know you didn't give yourself alcohol poisoning. –Vic _

Branch manages to get to the kitchen to make coffee, downing aspirin along the way, and then stumbles through a shower. He feels human enough afterward that he thinks he'd better give Vic that call.

"What?" She answers sharply.

"Good morning to you, too." He replies, the aspirin having dulled his headache and the bite in her tone improving his mood.

"Ugh, Branch. Why are you in such a good mood?" She huffs.

"I didn't drink enough to throw up this morning. What's your excuse?" He asks, thinking that's a pretty good reason considering how he felt when he first woke up.

"Yeah, well, I _did_ throw up this morning. Twice." Vic informs him and he can hear water running briefly in the background and what he assumes is her rinsing her mouth out. It makes him wince.

"Sorry." He mutters, trying to sympathize. He sips more coffee and contemplates how good of an idea food is at the moment.

"Yeah, me too." She scoffs. "But regardless, I think morning sickness is here to stay, so…" Vic continues.

"Yeah. So, I saw your note, figured I'd call and thank you for carting me home." He says, getting around to the main reason he called. He's really glad he didn't wake up on the floor of Henry's bar.

"I owed you one." She tells him, beginning to look through her own kitchen for breakfast and hoping she'll be able to keep it down since the nausea has passed for the moment.

"Well, as long as we're working on this whole friends thing, you want to tell me what you were doing at the Red Pony last night instead of at home with your husband?" He questions again; less susceptible to distraction than he was the night before and still just as curious.

"I guess in all fairness, since you did spill your guts about Cady last night…" She responds, having resigned herself to the fact that there would be no more hiding her separation than there would be her pregnancy.

"He wants a divorce." She says, biting her lip, though she knows he can't see her.

"What?" The surprise is clear in his voice.

"You heard me." She sighs. "I told Sean about the baby and he kindly informed me that he's leaving, baby or no baby."

Branch can't believe what he's hearing, but he can read between the lines well enough. He hadn't paid much attention to Vic's husband in the past, but he hadn't thought the man would walk away from his child. Maybe that was the thing though, a man, in Branch's opinion, didn't treat his wife the way Sean did either. At least from the little bit Branch had picked up on.

"I see." He doesn't know quite how to respond to her admission, but knows she probably doesn't want to hear an apology. She'll likely get enough of those to drive her crazy once word gets out.

"Yep." She agrees somberly, feeling the weight of the last 24 hours pressing down on her. "And you know, I can't say I didn't see it coming, because a part of me knew things had been bad for a while, but what really gets me is his reaction to the baby. Like it's merely an inconvenience, or that it doesn't matter. That I did not see coming; I don't know why, but I didn't." She admits, shaking her head.

"I'd offer to kick his ass, but we both know if that's what you wanted, you'd do it yourself." He knows the latter is the truth, but wonders if she can tell he's serious about the first part, too.

Either way, he gets a snort of laughter in response.

"I can't decide. I keep going back and forth between wanting to strangle him and just telling him to stay the hell away from me." She's angrier than she could've imagined at Sean, but beneath the anger is disappointment in the person she'd married. She doesn't know which is worse.

"Yeah. Look, I know you don't want my opinion, but take it from me, as someone with plenty of dysfunctional family issues, if he doesn't want the baby then you're gonna be better off without him." He tells her, hoping she doesn't get defensive about his unsolicited advice. He's almost surprised when she actually agrees with him.

"I know; I spent a lot of time thinking about things last night and I think the only thing worse than him leaving the way he did would've been if he'd stayed, knowing it was just for the baby."

"It's his loss if he doesn't want to be involved." Branch comments and thinks of his own family. Thinks of the rocky road he's had with his father over the years and how he's always thought that he'd be a better husband, a better father, than Barlow.

It's something he'd thought of a time or two when he was seeing Cady and now she wanted nothing to do with him. And here was Sean Keegan, with a wife and a baby on the way, and he was just throwing it away.

"Thanks. So, I know you were pretty drunk last night, but did you mean what you said? About being… happy," she substitutes, "if you found out you were going to be a dad?" She asks.

It's something that had stuck with her when she had gotten home and was playing the conversation back in her head. He hadn't seemed at all unsure that Sean _should've_ been happy about her news. He hadn't hesitated to tell her that his reaction would've been quite different, in so many words. She couldn't help but wonder if it was the alcohol talking or the truth.

"The alcohol might've messed with my filter Vic, but I do want kids someday and the way I see it, if someone I loved and planned to spend my life with was giving me that, then I wouldn't throw it back in their face." He explains.

It unexpectedly makes her eyes prick just a little bit, hearing him describe such a reaction, hearing him speak in a way she doesn't think she ever has before. Damn hormones, she thinks. It makes her realize there's a lot more to Branch Connally than most people see or look for; she certainly hadn't.

"I guess that's the difference." She mutters. "I don't know if Sean ever really loved me, not for the long haul. And he certainly doesn't want me or the baby now."

He really wants to kick Sean's ass. What can he say? He has a bit of a protective streak when it comes to vulnerable women and he isn't used to hearing Vic sound that way, but it certainly incites the emotion in him. Nevermind the fact that she'd likely chew him up and spit him out if he so much as hinted at the thought that she needed protection.

"Sorry, I shouldn't be dumping all this on you. I don't know why I am, it's just that you're the only one who knows so far, so…" She speaks up in his brief silence, before he has a chance to respond.

"It's fine. I get it." He assures her. He's definitely getting to see a different side of her than he has in the past.

"Well, I appreciate it. And you won't have to keep this a secret much longer; I'm going to tell Walt everything Monday, get all that worked out." She promises.

They wrap up the phone call fairly quickly after that and Vic finds that she feels better about talking to someone about what's going on than she expected to. She nods to herself as she takes out pans from the cabinet and ingredients from the fridge. Branch is right; it's Sean's loss if he's stupid enough to walk away from their baby.

"We're going to be alright, though." She says, placing a hand briefly on her stomach and thinking of the articles she'd read on talking to the baby and getting it used to the sound of her voice even though she knows it can't hear her yet.

"Moretti's are tough, so we'll take care of each other, alright kid? That's the deal. And if your dad doesn't want to be around then we'll deal with that, too. I promise." She says, taking a breath and trying to reassure them both.

When Sean calls to ask her if she's signed the divorce papers yet, Vic tells him in no uncertain terms that she isn't signing any papers that don't mention the baby. She won't pretend it doesn't exist. She ignores the two phone calls and the text message asking the same thing she receives from him throughout the rest of the weekend. And when she gets to work on Monday morning, a little late as she'd wanted to wait for the morning sickness that's becoming routine to pass, she feels steadier about what's to come. She's also grateful that everyone's already there so she won't have to wait any longer to talk to Walt.

"Hey, you got a minute?" She asks, poking her head into his office.

"Sure." Walt responds, looking up from the papers on his desk. She shuts the door behind her when she steps inside. "Everything okay?" He asks.

"Yes. I think so, or it will be." She says, trying to smile. He merely raises an eyebrow as he waits for her to continue.

"Right. Um, I need to tell you that, well, I'm pregnant." She says, feeling nerves flutter in her stomach.

It's obvious that he's surprised, that he doesn't quite know how to respond.

"That's uh, congratulations, Vic." He finally says, smiling.

"Thanks." She nods, smiling back.

"I hope you'll give my congratulations to your husband, too." Walt continues, knowing Sean hasn't always been the fondest of Vic's job or her coworkers. Especially him.

"Um, actually, that's the other thing I needed to talk to you about." She pauses briefly. "It's going to get around, so I figure I might as well go ahead and tell you that Sean and I are separating. He's asking for a divorce." She explains.

This surprises him more than her original announcement. Walt knew they had problems, off and on, but he would've assumed things were better if she was pregnant. His mind flashes quickly to Branch's _helpful_ nature where Vic is concerned recently and please God don't let Branch have had anything to do with this, he thinks. Almost as quickly as he's thought it though, he brushes it aside, not believing Vic would get involved with anyone while she was still married.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He responds soberly. "If there's anything I can do…" He trails off.

"Yeah, thanks. So I uh, I guess you'll be putting me behind a desk for the next seven months or so…" She bites her lip, dreading it already.

"Not a lot of experience with pregnant deputies, but yeah, I think modified duty is a given." His lips quirk a little. He can guess how happy that's going to make her.

"Right." She sighs, pursing her lips.

"Alright, well, if you don't have any objections, we can go ahead and tell everyone you'll be on light duty for the foreseeable future?" He questions.

"Yeah, that'd be great." She agrees and they walk out to main area together.

They already have Branch's attention, though that doesn't surprise Vic as she'd felt his eyes follow her into Walt's office a few minutes earlier, knowing what her purpose this morning was.

"Uh, everyone, I have an announcement." Walt begins. "Vic has just informed me that she is expecting, so starting now she's going to be on modified duty." He finishes.

"Oh!" Ruby is the first to react, practically bubbling as she rises and starts over to Vic.

"Expecting what?" Ferg questions, still confused.

"A baby." Branch shoots him a crooked grin as he glances his way, jerking his head toward the women as Ruby gushes as if to say "C'mon."

The commotion has died down considerably some time later, with Walt retreating to his office and Branch leaning on the edge of Vic's side of the desk, debating leads on their current case, when the last person Vic expects to see walks into the office. She sighs.

"What are you doing here, Sean?"

**Okay, so it's been a while… but hopefully the extra-long update makes up for it. Please review! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. **

Change

Chapter 7

"What are you doing here, Sean?"

His presence certainly gets the attention of everyone in the room. The tired tone of Vic's voice and the irritation on his face do nothing to dissuade it.

"You know why I'm here. And I wouldn't have had to come if you would bother to answer the phone or return my calls." He responds stonily, barely glancing at the others.

"Then you're wasting your time, because I haven't had a chance to talk to a lawyer." Vic tells him. She isn't going to fight him on the divorce, but she isn't planning to just blindly sign the papers either.

"What do you need a lawyer for? The division is fair; just sign the papers!" Sean snaps.

"I told you, I'm not signing the damn papers!" She hisses heatedly, standing from her desk.

Branch looks carefully between them, waiting to see how it plays out, as Walt appears in the doorway to his office, taking in the scene.

"Why are you being difficult about this?" Sean asks, barely glancing sideways at the appearance of Walt.

"_Difficult?_" She exclaims incredulously, venom seeping into her voice. "You haven't begun to see difficult, Sean. I'm not being unreasonable; besides the fact that I don't speak lawyer, I'll sign the papers when there's an agreement about the baby." She continues, glaring at him.

"For God's sake, Vic, the way you run around with Longmire, how do I even know this kid is mine?!" He shouts, flinging his hands open in an I-don't-know fashion.

It was the wrong thing to say. Branch thinks he knows it even before the words fully register. Ferg freezes. Ruby's jaw drops quietly in shock. Walt straightens, jaw tight, looking like he's getting really, really tired of keeping his opinion out of Vic's marriage. And Vic, well, Branch is surprised that fire doesn't actually shoot out of her eyes, that steam doesn't really come out of her ears. He's not surprised, however, at her violent reaction. He contemplates it himself.

"You son of a…" Vic mutters, seeing red and lunging in the second following Sean's insinuation.

Branch reacts reflexively, catching her around the waist even as she tries to get past him, arms swinging outward to attack, falling short of their target. There's some measure of satisfaction in seeing Sean take a step back, though.

"Easy." Branch murmurs as she begins to settle slightly, before he cautiously loosens his hold on Vic, then releases her completely, still keeping himself between her and Sean. When he's sure she won't launch herself past him as soon as his attention is diverted, he turns to focus on the outcast in the room.

"You and I don't know each other very well, Sean, so to be fair I'm going to assume you're going through something right now; that you're upset and not thinking clearly, but if I were you, I'd be careful how you talk about my friend." The warning is clear in the hard edge of Branch's voice, eerily calm. "Otherwise, I might just let her kick your sorry ass." He continues, hearing Vic take a deep breath behind him, catching her folding her arms in his peripheral vision as she steps closer.

It's even more satisfying than the step back to see the other man's face flush with emotion, silent now with nothing more to say.

"I think it's time for you to go now, Sean." Walt speaks up, voice firm, the same razor-edged calm of Branch's. It seems to remind Sean of where he is and that everyone is staring at him. That he's on the losing end of this particular battle.

"You know what," Sean shakes his head, voice quieter now. "It's not worth it. I just came to talk to you about the papers, so talk to a lawyer or call mine or whatever…" He tells Vic.

"Just go." Vic returns, voice hard. Her faces burns in embarrassment and she runs a hand over her hair when he's out of sight. This was the Sheriff's Office, not marriage counseling.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think he'd come here like that." She says, looking at Walt.

"Not your fault." Walt nods. "He gonna make trouble for you?" He asks.

Probably no more than he already has, Vic thinks. "No. I'll handle it." She tells him.

"You let me know if he does." He tells her, turning back for his office. Vic follows him, feeling like she should apologize for more than just Sean showing up in the office.

"He had no right to say what he did, about…" She begins. She'd had no idea Sean would stoop to such accusations.

"Sean has a problem with me, has had one with you working here. I'm sorry that's caused problems in your marriage." He says.

"There were problems in my marriage before I ever starting working here, Walt, and that's no one's fault but mine and Sean's, but it's about time I started dealing with it, so that's what I'm going to do. I just wanted to say I'm sorry for what he said and I'll take care of it." She explains.

"Alright." Walt nods.

When Vic makes her way back to her desk she studiously ignores Ruby's concerned glance and Ferg trying not to stare in her direction.

"Okay?" Branch doesn't look up from his paperwork when she sits down, simply asks the question in the way he thinks she'll appreciate the most. No overbearing concern or coddling or questions.

"Yep." Vic responds, getting back to her own paperwork.

"Okay." He concludes.

They don't speak again until lunch time when Ruby herds her out of the office citing her need to eat. The nausea has become an undercurrent for the moment and Vic isn't sure if food is the best idea, but she also doesn't want to argue about it so she leaves when Branch does anyway.

"Why are you being nice to me?" She asks when they're sitting in the diner waiting for their food.

"Sorry, I'll do better if it's a problem." Branch responds, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't be an ass, I'm serious. Say we're friends, sure, but it's kind of weird; I'm not used to it." Vic continues, voicing a thought that had begun to creep in since the morning.

"Vic," He starts.

"And if it's because you feel bad for the pregnant lady whose husband's leaving her, I will shoot you." She interrupts quickly.

"Maybe I have a soft spot for pregnant women," He grins, seeing if she's up to take the bait. "And I don't much care for Sean's," he pauses. "…behavior." He finishes.

"So, what? Is it kind of like a macho thing? Now that I'm pregnant I need someone to stand up for me because I can't handle myself?" She bites, trying not to be offended.

"No, look, I _would_ call us friends, Vic, and I think we'd make pretty good ones, too, given the chance, but besides that, it's not about feeling bad for you or thinking you can't take care of yourself. I just don't like when a man doesn't treat a woman the way he should and I have issues with bad fathers. Go figure, right? I guess this just brings it out in me." He explains, a little exasperated, shrugging.

She's not sure what she was expecting him to say, but she thinks it probably wasn't that and finds herself once again wondering just what all she doesn't know about the man sitting across from her.

"Okay." Vic replies, not really sure of how to respond. It's nice, sort of, to have people looking out for her. Branch only nods in acknowledgement and they drop the subject from the conversation.

"Thanks." Vic says later on their way back to work in a lull of quiet between them. "For being my friend." She continues when Branch looks at her expectantly.

"You're welcome." He grins, understanding her words as an olive branch.

Maybe they would make pretty good friends after all, Vic thinks. They seemed to be doing okay so far, at least.

**So, in writing this chapter I realized I might've been a bit more biased against Sean than I originally thought. Oops. Anyway, we shouldn't be seeing anymore of him directly I don't think. I hope you liked the chapter! Please review!**

**Thanks!**


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